garnish 1 of 2

garnish

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word garnish different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of garnish are adorn, beautify, deck, decorate, embellish, and ornament. While all these words mean "to enhance the appearance of something by adding something unessential," garnish suggests decorating with a small final touch and is used especially in referring to the serving of food.

an entrée garnished with parsley

Where would adorn be a reasonable alternative to garnish?

In some situations, the words adorn and garnish are roughly equivalent. However, adorn implies an enhancing by something beautiful in itself.

a diamond necklace adorned her neck

How are the words beautify and embellish related as synonyms of garnish?

Beautify adds to embellish a suggestion of counterbalancing plainness or ugliness.

will beautify the grounds with flower beds

When can deck be used instead of garnish?

The synonyms deck and garnish are sometimes interchangeable, but deck implies the addition of something that contributes to gaiety, splendor, or showiness.

a house all decked out for Christmas

When is decorate a more appropriate choice than garnish?

While in some cases nearly identical to garnish, decorate suggests relieving plainness or monotony by adding beauty of color or design.

decorate a birthday cake

When is it sensible to use embellish instead of garnish?

The words embellish and garnish can be used in similar contexts, but embellish often stresses the adding of superfluous or adventitious ornament.

embellish a page with floral borders

How do ornament and embellish relate to one another, in the sense of garnish?

Both ornament and embellish imply the adding of something extraneous, ornament stressing the heightening or setting off of the original.

a white house ornamented with green shutters

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of garnish
Noun
Round up these ingredients to follow along with this Spa Spritz recipe: Lemon, orange, or lime slices: A fresh orange slice is a traditional Lillet Spritz garnish. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 May 2025 According to the Connecticut Public, Cohen’s recipe includes honey, sesame, fennel, poppy, nigella, and/ or cumin and sea salt to garnish. Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 2 May 2025
Verb
Their signature pistachio mai tai ranks as one of my favorite drinks in the city, while other offerings include the fig and toasted almond bamboo or the chocolate negroni, adorably garnished with a chocolate orange. Kaitlyn Rosati, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2025 Social Security payments, excluding Supplemental Security Income, can be garnished to enforce child support or alimony orders. Susan Tompor, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for garnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for garnish
Noun
  • The other was almost entirely absent of decoration, but was found with fragments of fabric, which could have come from a material case or the clothes the deceased owner was wearing when buried.
    Chloe Mayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025
  • Choose from four Tarot archetypes (The Moon, The Star, The High Priestess, or The Empress) for the perfect flavor and decorations on the set.
    Sarah Boyd, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • Followers often applaud her decorating skills, but also worry that living in such a cramped space could impact her health.
    Meredith Wilshere, People.com, 18 May 2025
  • Numerous cellphone videos from nearby onlookers captured the moment the ship's masts, decorated with lights, collided with the bottom of the Brooklyn Bridge.
    Riley Hoffman, ABC News, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • Strong lines that team up to form geometric designs, metallic accents, luxe materials like marble and velvet, and eye-catching ornamentation are certainly part of the style's foundation, true.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 May 2025
  • The tomb should be in the ground; simple, without particular ornamentation, and bearing only the inscription: Franciscus.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The inside collar is grey, mimicking the concrete interior structure of the Monster, and is adorned with 1912, the year Fenway Park first opened.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 16 May 2025
  • Some jeans are adorned with crystals, while others have a grunge and vintage, aged appearance.
    Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • The hand ornament represents the friendship between women, a spokesperson for Hu told me.
    Anthony DeMarco, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
  • First appearing on the marble above the fireplace, the ornaments are now also on the Oval Office walls.
    Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025
Noun
  • The wage garnishment will continue until students get the loans out of default.
    Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2025
  • But in the past, student loan borrowers were usually given 65 days’ notice before the garnishment of their federal benefits, said higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz.
    Annie Nova, CNBC, 6 May 2025
Noun
  • At the time, Jaden wore a tailored custom Thom Browne ensemble, including a white denim coat featuring dahlia adornments and several straps.
    Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 6 May 2025
  • And lastly, the final adornments: odds and ends to add bling to your clothing.
    Daisy Shaw-Ellis, Vogue, 25 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Garnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/garnish. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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